English Basketball League

Infobox sports league
logo=England_Basketball_Logo.jpg
pixels=140px
caption=EBL logo feauring the England Basketball logo
sport=Basketball
founded=2003
teams=10
country=flagicon|England England
champion=Manchester Magic
website= [http://www.englandbasketball.co.uk EB.co.uk] The English Basketball League is a semi-professional basketball league in England. It forms the second-tier of competition below the fully professional British Basketball League.

The EBL was established in 2003 by England Basketball to replace the former National Basketball League, and currently operates several men's and women's leagues in the British basketball pyramid, which is headed by Division 1. This is effectively seen as the second tier of men's basketball in the United Kingdom, along with the less celebrated Scottish Basketball League.

There are numerous leagues underneath the division 1 men's and women's leagues. Currently there are a total of four men's national leagues and two women's national leagues. The division 4 men and 2 women are regionalised.

Beneath the men and women's national leagues is a huge junior structure for both male and female with leagues for under 18s, 16s, 15s, 14s, 13s. The [http://www.englandbasketball.com England Basketball website] contains all the relevant information

There is no promotion and relegation between the EBL and the British Basketball League, which operates a franchise system. Many teams have in recent years made the step from EBL to the BBL, looking for greater competition and more exposure.

Teams

Men's Division 1

Men's Division 1 team line-up for the 2008–09 season.
*Bristol Flyers
*Cardiff Celts (Promoted from Division 2)
*Coventry Crusaders
*Derby Trailblazers
*London Leopards
*Manchester Magic (2007–08 Champions)
*Reading Rockets
*Sheffield Arrows
*Taunton Tigers
*Tees Valley Mohawks (Promoted from Division 2)
*

NOTE: Worthing Thunder joined the British Basketball League for 2008–2009. College Of West Anglia Fury will move down to Division 4.

Women's Division 1

Women's Division 1 team line-up for the 2008–09 season.
*Leeds Carnegie
*London Heathrow Acers
*London Met
*Manchester Mystics
*Nottingham Wildcats
*Rhondda Rebels
*Sheffield Hatters
*Sevenoaks Suns
*Solent Suns
*Team Northumbria
*UWIC Archers

Other Club's Websites

* Bristol Storm Basketball Club
* [http://www.derbytrailblazers.co.uk Derby Trailblazers]
* [http://www.kentcrusaders.co.uk Kent Crusaders]
* [http://www.kingstonwildcats.co.uk Kingston Wildcats]
* Leicester Warriors
* Sevenoaks Suns
* [http://www.sheffieldsaints.co.uk Sheffield Saints]
* [http://www.sportnorthumbria.com Team Northumbria]
* [http://www.tvcannons.net Tamar Valley Cannons]
* [http://www.tauntontigers.co.uk Taunton Tigers]

Regions

England is then divided into the following regions

* [http://www.durhambasketball.org.uk Durham Area]

* [http://www.gbba.org.uk Gloucestershire Basketball Association]

* [http://basketballinlondon.co.uk London Basketball (London Region)]

* [http://www.southwestbasketball.co.uk South / South West Region]
* [http://www.southern-region.co.uk Southern Region]
* [http://www.serbasketball.co.uk South East Region]

*Teesside Basketball

* [http://www.bristolbasketball.com West Of England Basketball Association]

*Sussex

*Herts Basketball Association

*Suffolk Basketball Association

*Yorkshire Basketball

* [http://www.warwickshirebasketball.co.uk Warwickshire Basketball]

*North East Basketball

*West Midlands Basketball League

* [http://www.essexbasketball.co.uk Essex Basketball]

eason-by-season records

ee also

*Basketball in England
*England national basketball team
*Great Britain national basketball team

External links

* [http://www.englandbasketball.co.uk/ Official site of England Basketball, including the English Basketball League]